447th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (M) AAF
321st Bombardment Group (M) AAF
A.P.O. # 520
| MISSION# |
TARGET |
DATE |
PLANE# |
TIME |
REMARKS |
| 1 |
Tobega L/G |
3-24-43 |
371 |
2:35 |
Flak very accurate for the altitude.
One B-25 struck by flak. Tail blown off.
4 parachutes observed in the air. |
| 2 |
Sea Sweep |
3-31-43 |
371 |
4:05 |
Sighted 10 or 12 enemy ships.
Mission considered partially successful.
Flight Leader Lt. Burns. |
| 3 |
Sea Sweep |
4-20-43 |
181 |
3:45 |
No target sighted.
3 Me-109s were intercepted by escort. |
| 4 |
Plottville L/G |
4-22-43 |
371 |
3:15 |
L/G well covered.
Several fires seen. 5000 German and 5000 Italian leaflets
dropped over target. |
| 5 |
Mateur RR |
4-23-43 |
371 |
2:35 |
M/Y and junction hit.
10000 Italian leaflets dropped.
Escort failed to accompany bombers to target. |
| 6 |
Sea Sweep |
3-25-43 |
371 |
4:25 |
Enemy torpedo sighted
and strafed by P-38s. |
| 7 |
Oudna L/G |
4-13-43 |
371 |
2:45 |
Mission very successful.
2 E/A fighters destroyed.
Bombardiers picked individual targets.
Lankford got 1 Me-190. |
| 8 |
Sea Search |
5-6-43 |
371 |
3:30 |
Returned because of weather. |
| 9 |
Sea Sweep |
5-10-43 |
375 |
4:05 |
No target sighted. |
| 10 |
Cagliari RR Yards |
5-13-43 |
371 |
3:40 |
RR Yards and warehouse
completely demolished. Bombs dropped on town which was also ruined. |
| 11 |
Villicedro A/D |
5-19-43 |
371 |
3:30 |
Several hits on planes on ground
which were not dispersed properly. |
| 12 |
Villicedro A/D |
5-20-43 |
371 |
3:25 |
Flight leader Lt. Seel. Mission
successful and hits on planes on ground. |
| 13 |
Licata Harbor |
5-25-43 |
371 |
4:50 |
10-30 vessels sighted. Warehouse hit.
Fires started in city. Flak heavy inaccurate. |
| 14 |
Villicedro A/D |
5-27-43 |
371 |
3:15 |
Flight leader Major Schwane.
Large columns of smoke seen. |
| 15 |
Pantelleria |
5-30-43 |
371 |
3:10 |
Direct hits on RR leading to city.
Plane 371 dropped only 2 bombs. Fires observed in town. |
| 16 |
Pantelleria |
6-7-43 |
371 |
2:30 |
Flight leader Lt.Seel.
Target well covered. Large columns of smoke seen.
Mission considered partially successful. |
| 17 |
Pantelleria Gun Emplacements |
6-8-43 |
371 |
2:30 |
Flight leader Lt. Seel. No E/A encountered.
Mission partially successful. |
| 18 |
Pantelleria AA position #11. |
6-10-43 |
371 |
2:30 |
Target well covered. Ammunition shack blown up.
Flight leader Capt. Bates. 4 explosions. |
| 19 |
Pantelleria AA position #4. |
6-10-43 |
371 |
2:40 |
Target believed well
covered with bombs. Target covered with dust and smoke. |
| 20 |
Pantelleria AA position #7. |
6-11-43 |
371 |
2:30 |
Invasion of Pantelleria.
Flight leader Lt. Seel. |
| 21 |
Kerwin RR yards. |
3-16-43 |
000 |
2:10 |
Unable to reach target.
Flew over enemy territory. Was our first mission
which was considered 1/2 sortie. |
| 22 |
Mezzouna L/G |
3-21-43 |
371 |
1:55 |
Unable to reach target because of weather and no escort. |
| 23 |
Lampedusa Docks and town. |
6-12-43 |
371 |
2:30 |
All targets well covered.
Fire and smoke observed. |
| 24 |
Sciacca A/D |
6-15-43 |
371 |
3:10 |
Hits on landing ground and olive grove E of barracks.
12 ME 109 and 6 MA 202's came up after target but were encountered by escort. |
| 25 |
Venafiarita - Olbia A/D |
6-24-43 |
371 |
4:10 |
Fields, taxi strip and dispersal area well covered.
1 E/A destroyed. 1 probable. 2 damaged. Leo Wilson destroyed one ME 109.
|
| 26 |
Alghero A/D |
6-28-43 |
371 |
3:40 |
Barracks hangars and dispersal area hit.
Flak heavy inaccurate. |
| 27 |
Bisacari - San Pietro A/D |
7-6-43 |
371 |
3:30 |
Results excellent. All bombs dropped in target area.
Flight leader Lt. Richardson. |
| 28 |
Gerbini - Sattelite #6 |
7-8-43 |
371 |
4:40 |
Coverage of field good.
Flak position silenced by strafing. 371 led our squadron.
Major Pinger with 371. |
| 29 |
Caltanisettia |
7-9-43 |
371 |
3:15 |
Town RR yards and track well hit.
Few bursts of flak from AA as we passed Cape Beanee.
First mission our squadron bombed troops. |
| 30 |
Town of Palazzolo - Milo A/D |
7-10-43 |
371 |
3:05 |
Field well covered.
Hangar seen to blow up. Lt. Jung's plane hit by flak
landing in water west of Sicily.
Escort engaged ME 109's in dog fight. |
| 31 |
Town of Caltanisettia |
7-11-43 |
371 |
3:25 |
Target well covered.
Warships were shelling shore constantly. |
| 32 |
Gerbini - Sattelite #11. |
7-12-43 |
371 |
4:00 |
Flak heavy inaccurate.
Bomb pattern covered target area.
Explosions seen among planes on dispersal area.
Hits made on landing strip. |
| 33 |
Messina |
7-14-43 |
210 |
4:25 |
B-17's over target 45 seconds before us which enabled us to
approach target without too much flak. Capt. Burns single engine landing in Malta. |
| 34 |
Monte Corvino |
7-20-43 |
371 |
4:55 |
Coverage of field excellent. 8 fires seen.
All bombs falling in target area. |
| 35 |
Battipaglia RR yards. |
7-22-43 |
371 |
4:40 |
Transformer station, warehouse and rolling stock and
RR yards all hit. Mission very successful. |
| 36 |
Crotone |
7-23-43 |
371 |
5:50 |
AA heavy inaccurate. 7 of our ships stopped
for gas before returning to base. Barracks revetments
and hangars all hit. |
| 37 |
Gasso RR Junction |
8-6-43 |
371 |
4:35 |
P-38 crashed into sea. B-25 dropped radio.
Pilot seen swimming toward it. Flak position
N of junction blown up. |
| 38 |
Angitola RR and temporary bridge |
8-18-43 |
371 |
4:05 |
Bombs falling accross N and S
end of RR bridge. Several near misses.
Highway bridge not hit. |
| 39 |
Cancello M/Y Stores Depot and Factory |
8-28-43 |
371 |
4:05 |
2 B-25 G's skipped bombed. Mission successful
Flight leader Capt. Burns. No of fires seen. |
| 40 |
Cancello M/Y yards and factories |
9-2-43 |
371 |
4:25 |
Coverage excellent. 1 MA 202 destroyed.
Exploded and crashed in water. Claimed by 445th squadron. |
| 41 |
Capua A/D |
9-6-43 |
371 |
4:10 |
Hits made on hangers and planes in front of hangers.
Large fires seen. Small fires believed to be burning planes. |
| 42 |
Potenza RR and highway communications. |
9-9-43 |
371 |
4:40 |
Target well covered. Sidings and sheds hit.
Large fires caused in town. |
| 43 |
Cassino ( RR underpass SW of Eboli) |
9-14-43 |
371 |
4:20 |
Underpass very well covered. Numerous direct hits.
One large and several small explosions. AA light. Our battleships shelling coast. |
| 44 |
Isernia |
9-16-43 |
371 |
4:10 |
Hits made on choke point.
Highway entrance well hit. |
| 45 |
Practica - Dimare A/D |
9-17-43 |
371 |
4:00 |
Extremely good coverage.
Bombs covering target area. One Ju 52 seen took off successfully
but three others failed. L JU 88 damaged. Gasoline dump on fire.
R.M. Sheets wounded leg by flak. Also #400 and 4981. |
| 46 |
Castelnuva |
9-20-43 |
598 |
4:05 |
Flight leader Capt. Seel.
Bombs falling short and wide of target. |
| 47 |
Bridge and RR at 795728 - Sheet 173 |
9-22-43 |
371 |
4:15 |
4 ships hit by flak. Capt. Burns and Lt. Nixon
forced down in Italy. Lt. Brinkley, Lt. Liagrel
Sgt. Lalum, Sgt. Quilty hit by flak. Mission success |
| 48 |
Bastica - Borgo A/D |
9-25-43 |
371 |
4:30 |
Buildings in flame. Planes
in front of hangers hit. |
| 49 |
Bridge S of Piano |
9-29-43 |
371 |
4:20 |
All but one ship hit by flak.
Sgt. Alton and Pfc R. Smith hit by flak. General opinion bridge not hit. |
| 50 |
Larissa A/D |
10-9-43 |
546 |
3:05 |
Flight leader Lt. Fineman.
Sgt. Jensen and Sgt. Newhouse hit by flak. No of fires seen.
Good coverage of field reported. |
| 51 |
Tirana A/D |
10-13-43 |
371 |
2:00 |
AA heavy inaccurate. No of fires started in barracks runways and hangers.
No of explosion in are of hanger |
| 52 |
Solonika A/D |
10-15-43 |
371 |
3:00 |
Bursts observed among 18 planes on S side.
Explosion S of center of runway. Flames shooting up to 1000 feet.
Gray smoke to 3000 feet visible 40 miles away. |
| 53 |
W M/Y at Skoplje Yugo |
10-18-43 |
512 |
3:00 |
Possible hits on engine sheds. |
| 54 |
S M/Y at Nia |
10-20-43 |
557 |
3:55 |
Very good coverage. Many large fires.
No of explosions described as terrific. |
| 55 |
NE and SE areas of Athens Eleusis |
10-22-43 |
600 |
3:50 |
Flight leader Lt. Spikes. Good pattern with hits
on parked planes. 1 E/A destroyed by escort. One P-38 shot down. |
| 56 |
Athens - Eleusis A/D Berat |
11-5-43 |
997 |
1:50 |
Flight leader Lt. Spikes. One flak battery hit.
One E/A probable destroyed by escort. No of explosions and hits on
dispersal areas. Mission very successful earning the DFC for Lt. Spikes. |
| 57 |
Athens - Eleusis A/D |
11-12-43 |
371 |
1:50 |
Flight leader Lt. Bugbee. No of fires started.
Dispersal area and taxi strips hit. |
| 58 |
Sofia M/Y |
11-14-43 |
371 |
3:55 |
Flight leader Major Sampson. Attack made with
340th BG. Sgt. Mercer and Manning credited with destruction
of A/A. Lt. Broyles hit by flak. |
| 59 |
Athens - Eleusis A/D |
11-16-43 |
371 |
4:15 |
Flight leader Lt. Beeson. Very good coverage
of the field. No of fires started. 10 in all. |
| 60 |
Athens - Kalamaki A/D |
11-17-43 |
371 |
4:20 |
Flight leader Lt. Spikes. Bombing pattern excellent.
1 ME 109 shot down by Sgt. A.H. Smith. |
| 61 |
Cruiser near Trojia - Split Sobin and shipping at Grohote |
12-5-43 |
557 |
2:10 |
Flight leader Lt. Spikes. Alternate target bombed
when cruiser not sighted. |
| 62 |
Shipping at Ancona - Guilianova Bridge |
12-9-43 |
371 |
2:20 |
Bombs hitting bridge and RR junction. Possible hits
on flak position. |
| 63 |
Road between Baronissa & San Severno |
9-14-43 |
371 |
3:35 |
Flight leader Capt. Burns. Many direct hits on road.
RR junction was also hit. |
| 64 |
Split |
12-13-43 |
557 |
3:05 |
Large fires seen on shore but observation
impaired by clouds. Flight leader Lt. Beeson. |
| 65 |
Troops at Bihac- Alternate Sibenik |
12-16-43 |
371 |
2:30 |
Flight leader Captain Spikes. Sibenik bombed.
Target well covered. Probable hits on M/Y and highway. One large fire
near M/Y. W quay hit. |
